Working Backwards / PR-FAQ Process

Start with the customer problem, write a press release, then work backwards to build it

Bill Carr
Unpacking Amazon's unique ways of working | Bill Carr (author of Working Backwards)

Working Backwards / PR-FAQ Process

"When we're making a decision thinking about a problem, we're going to start with what's best for the customer and then come backward from there. That informs what's the work you have to do to then create this new solution for customers." - Bill Carr

What It Is

Working Backwards is Amazon's core product development philosophy that flips the traditional approach: instead of starting with what you can build (your technology, resources, constraints) and working forward to find customers, you start with the customer's problem and work backwards to figure out what to build.

The PR-FAQ process is the concrete implementation of this philosophy. Whenever Amazon devises a new product or feature, they start by writing a press release describing the product as if it's already launched, along with frequently asked questions. The press release forces clarity on who the customer is, what their problem is, and what the solution delivers.

As Bill Carr explains, Amazon took it as "an article of faith" that if they prioritized customers and delivered for them, outcomes like revenue, active customers, and share price would follow. This isn't objectively provable—it's a belief system that shapes every decision.

How It Works

The PR-FAQ document has specific components:

The Press Release:

  1. Headline - Clear, concise description (if it's long and confusing, the idea isn't clear)
  2. Date - The hypothetical launch date (signals complexity and timeline)
  3. First paragraph - Short description of the product
  4. Second paragraph - The problem statement (the hardest part to define crisply)
  5. Third paragraph - The solution statement

Key Characteristics:

  • Written in customer-focused language, but NOT like a real press release
  • Very factual with numbers and internal data (no hyperbole)
  • Rich with confidential data and specifics
  • Must clearly answer: Who is the customer? What is their problem? What's the solution?

The FAQ Section:

  • Internal questions leadership will ask
  • External questions customers might have
  • Technical feasibility questions
  • Business viability questions

How to Apply It

Step 1: Start with the customer problem Before any constraints (financial, engineering, legal), ask: What are the customer's problems or needs? What would solve them?

Step 2: Write the press release Draft as if the product already launched successfully. The three "money paragraphs" are:

  • Short description
  • Problem statement
  • Solution statement

Step 3: Use concentric circle review Share in expanding circles:

  1. You alone (many get "crumpled up" at this stage)
  2. Your manager
  3. Wider team
  4. Leadership
  5. CEO/senior leadership (for big initiatives)

Step 4: Create a product funnel, not tunnel Not every PR-FAQ makes it to the CEO. Think of yourself as a VC—fund the best ideas, let others go. The numbers narrow at each level.

Step 5: Iterate ruthlessly Each review improves the document. The goal is to identify fatal flaws early, before engineering resources are spent.

When to Use It

  • Before committing engineering resources to any new product or feature
  • When prioritizing between multiple product ideas
  • When you need alignment between leadership and product teams
  • When transitioning from "what can we build" thinking to "what should we build" thinking

Not for:

  • Small incremental improvements
  • Tactical execution decisions
  • Companies still searching for product-market fit (focus on PMF first)

Common Mistakes

  1. Writing like a real press release - This is an internal document. Include data, avoid hyperbole.

  2. Vague customer definition - "All restaurants" is not a customer. Define specifically: which types, in which cities, with which characteristics.

  3. Starting with the solution - Bill Carr cites the Fire Phone as an example: "We had a technology solution in mind (3D effects) and were in search of a problem."

  4. Treating it as a tunnel - If every PR-FAQ makes it through, you're not filtering enough. Most should not reach the CEO.

  5. Skipping the problem quantification - Ideally, quantify the problem with data that shows people would pay to solve it.

Source

  • Guest: Bill Carr
  • Episode: "Unpacking Amazon's unique ways of working | Bill Carr (author of Working Backwards)"
  • Key Discussion: (00:35:37) - Full explanation of Working Backwards and PR-FAQ process
  • YouTube: Watch on YouTube
  • Resource: Template available at workingbackwards.com/resources

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